A trainer says this is the most underrated move for building strength in your core, shoulders, arms and back

If you’re new to working out, you might not have come across the term compound exercise yet—but there are probably a few already in your routine.

A compound exercise is any movement that recruits multiple muscle groups at once. That means workout staples like squats, deadlifts and chest presses all fall into this category.

Because these moves fire up lots of muscles, they’re high-effort, more functional and help you burn more calories. They also build strength more efficiently because they engage different areas simultaneously.

I asked trainer Krissy Cela, founder of activewear label Oner Active and fitness app EvolveYou, what her favorite compound move is and she suggested one that fires up lots of upper-body muscles.

“I think one of the most underrated exercises is a plank row,” says Cela.

“I think it’s just such an amazing move for your core, your back, your stability—your glutes have to stay really contracted and tense. I think it’s very underappreciated.”

How to do a plank row

Sets: 3 Reps: 4-6 each side

• Start on your hands and knees with a pair of moderately heavy hexagonal dumbbells on the floor underneath your shoulders.
• Hold the dumbbells and step your legs back into a high-plank position, so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Keeping your body stable, lift one dumbbell to your rib cage.
• Pause briefly, then lower with control.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Form tips

Avoid rocking your hips from side to side when you row each dumbbell. Cela recommends squeezing your buttocks throughout the move to keep your body still.

It’s important to activate your deep core muscles like your transverse abdominis and erector spinae by actively engaging your core muscles—both help to stabilize your spine and pelvis.

A good way to engage these muscles is by doing a few rounds of a bodyweight plank before you do a dumbbell plank row.

You can hold the plank for just a few seconds, three or four times, to help you switch on these muscles to prepare you for the dumbbell plank row.

To make the move easier, use a lighter dumbbell weight or drop to your knees.

To make the move harder, perform the exercise with a single dumbbell, pulling the weight under your body from one side to the other before each row, to challenge your balance and control even more.